The key to financial freedom is learning how to master the fine art of financial discipline. Saving money on a regular basis regardless of what your income may be is an activity that should be routinely performed by those seeking to improve their financial status.

This seemingly simple goal of saving money is one that many people struggle with on a consistent basis. Some people do manage to save on a short term basis but a great many fail to hang onto their savings long enough to realize the full potential and value that is afforded by having substantial amounts of money set aside.

The practice of consistently saving money is a habit that can easily be learned if you are willing to be patient and take five small steps.

1. Pay Yourself First

When you receive your pay check you should think of your savings account as a bill or a debt that is owed to you. You should always place money into your savings in the same manner as you would routinely pay a bill.

2. Automatic Deductions

Saving through automatic deductions at your bank is number one on my list of ways to add money to your account. You simply decide upon the amount that you want to put away and the frequency and have your bank transfer the money from your checking account into your savings. Using this method you never really see the money so the temptation to spend is significantly reduced.

3. Keep the Change

Saving the change that you collect each day is a fun and easy way to save money. Each day when I come home, I take all of the change that I have accumulated throughout the day and put it in a canvas bag. After about six months to one year of accumulating the coins, I take the money to a coin machine where I do my grocery shopping and cash them in. This simple method surprisingly yields several hundred dollars on each occasion.

4. Pay Yourself Interest

If you have a savings account that periodically pays interest pay attention to when the interest is credited to your account. When the bank’s interest appears in your account, transfer or add additional money to increase the amount of savings. For example add enough money to bump your savings up to the next multiple of ten.

5. Save Unexpected Money

It is always nice to receive unexpected money such a gift, reimbursement, tax return, or a bonus. Since unexpected money is money that you did not plan on having in the first place, you can always spend a little bit and put the remainder in your savings account.

There are a lot of ways that will help you achieve your goal of saving energy to the maximum when it comes to saving home energy. Energy consumptions are the main concern of these energy saving tips. One technique that is taught is switching incandescent bulbs to CFL bulbs. Another one is by changing some old appliances to new appliances that are energy efficient. People today keep on looking for ways on how they can save energy consumption because of the fact that the world is having a problem with energy shortage. Experts made some inventions regarding materials that saves energy such as energy saving exteriors.

It is obvious as self explanatory when they talk about energy saving exteriors; it is located outside the house. One example of these is reflective roofing materials. The benefits of having this kind of roofing materials, it helps reduce the sunlight from penetrating inside the house that’s why it can help reduce the energy consumption. Another one is the insulating paint which works, like its name, as insulators which keeps the coolness or the warmness inside the house longer. Insulating paint can also serve as sealant from the leaks or gaps that can be found in your walls or windows which seal the heat and cold air and prevent it from escaping. Guaranteed, that you will save up to 50% in your energy consumption.

Aside from those energy saving exteriors mentioned above, there are still a lot other materials available in the market that can help you save energy. Some of these are energy saving window, window shades, doors, and skylights that you can choose from. Energy saving window shade works similar to reflective roofing which blocks the sunlight to penetrate inside the house. Another advantage is during the winter season, which it serves as an insulator because they prevent the cold air outside to penetrate inside the house. If you want to know more about these materials don’t hesitate to visit the energy star website since it’s a government agency that helps people who are having difficulty managing their energy consumption. They also provide some products which you can use to save up energy.

Saving energy is not only achieved with using materials that saves energy, it also includes plants and designs. Plants and trees are great tools when it comes to shading. Surrounding your house with plants and trees can minimize the heat and promote coolness during summer. Aside from saving energy, you are also helping our planet survive as well.